Popcorn Chicken

Among all the chicken favorites Popcorn Chicken is not only very easy to cook but also flavorful, moist and crunchy at the same time. Be it a casual lunch idea for family or a small home party; popcorn chicken is sure to please your family and guests alike. It also makes a delicious snack item for the children. Popcorn chicken tastes better if served with tomato ketchup. Here is a really simple, quick yet a better recipe to try this weekend but make sure you have cut the chicken, preferably breast pieces, into really small cubes. So let us start:

Popcorn Chicken served with Ketchup

Ingredients group 1

Boneless Chicken 600 - 800 grams (cut it into small cubes)

Ingredients group 2

Maida or plain flour: 1 cup

Corn flour: 2 tablespoon

Pepper powder: 1 tablespoon 

Salt: to taste

Ingredients group 3

Egg white: 2 nos

Milk: 2 tablespoon

Salt: to taste

Ingredients group 4

Bread crumbs: 1 cup

Step by step method for easy cooking

Step 1:

Wash and drain the chicken cubes. Keep rest of the ingredients ready and handy.

Step 2:

Take a shallow bowl and mix maida, corn flour, pepper powder and salt (refer to ingredients - group 2). This is a dry mix for coating, no water should be added.

Step 3:

Take 2 egg whites in a shallow bowl, add milk and salt (refer to ingredients - group 3) and mix it.

Step 4:

Take some bread crumbs (refer to ingredients - group 4) in a separate shallow bowl.

Arrange the above 3 bowls i.e., coating mix, egg mixture dip and bread crumbs in a row.

Step 5:

Take vegetable oil a frying pan and bring it to medium high heat.

Now take the chicken cubes and toss it in dry maida coating mixture. Then dip it in egg mixture. Then toss it in bread crumbs. Then again dip into egg mixture and then toss it in bread crumbs once again. To get nicely coated all over, do it piece by piece.

Deep fry the coated chicken pieces on medium high heat until the preparation gets nice desired color. Do not put all the chicken at once into oil, but fry them batch by batch for better results. Now spread them a paper towel to absorb excess oil.

Step 6:

Arrange the yummy Popcorn Chicken in a serving plate and serve hot with tomato ketchup. Bon appétit!

This recipe is also published at:

www.coastaldigest.com

Spring Rolls - vegetarian

Spring Rolls are mainly used as appetizers in almost every culture. In our culture it is one of the Iftar time delicacies enjoyed along with other items during Ramadan. It can contain a variety of fillings prepared using either meat or fresh vegetables but cooked beforehand and stuffed into spring roll wrappers. Spring Rolls can be steamed, shallow fried or even deep fried. The wrappers - also known as spring roll pastries - are readily available in the supermarkets hence only fillings need to be prepared at home. Here is a quick and easy recipe for crispy vegetable Spring Rolls. Let us start: 

Shallow fried Spring Rolls - homemade

Ingredients - group 1 (for filling) 

Oil: 2 tablespoons

Curry leaves: 4 to 5 Nos. 

Onion: 4 Nos. (finely chopped)

Tomato: 2 Nos. (finely chopped) 

Potatoes: 3 Nos. (chopped)

Cabbage: 2 cups. (chopped)

Bell pepper (capsicum): 1 No. (chopped) 

Ginger-garlic paste: 2 tablespoon

Turmeric powder: ¼ tablespoon

Pepper powder: ½ tablespoon

Garam masala powder: ½ tablespoon

Vegetable stock: 1 cube (optional) 

Salt: to taste

Ingredients - group 2 

Spring roll sheets (store bought) 

Maida paste: ½ cup (for binding) 

Ingredients – group 3

Oil: for shallow frying  

Method:  Step by step method for easy cooking

Step 1: Take a frying pan, add oil and heat it.  Add curry leaves, then add finely chopped onions and sauté until it gets golden brown. Then add tomato and continue sautéing for 2 more minutes. Now add finely chopped potatoes and cook till the potatoes are 75% done. Then add rest of the ingredients of group 1 and continue sautéing 10 to 15 minutes to get a yummy masala filling and keep it aside.

Step 2: Now take store bought spring roll sheets, place the masala filling on it in a line near the one corner on the sheet.  Then fold two opposite tips of the sheet over the filling, and then roll to from one corner to the other corner of the sheet.  Apply a little Maida paste to the last corner to stick the last edge firmly. Now the Spring Roll is ready for frying.

Step 3: Shallow fry the finished rolls till they get desired color.  Serve with tomato ketchup, green chutney or any condiments you like. Bon appétit!

This recipe is also published at:

www.coastaldigest.com